Biography
Randal Despommier, a saxophonist born in Louisiana, displays command across adventurous post-bop, sacred choral music, and contemporary jazz. His first outing as a leader arrived with the 2021 album Dio C'è.
Metairie, the New Orleans suburb where Despommier grew up, provided his earliest setting for saxophone study, prompted by his father, a traditional jazz drummer. While absorbing an array of styles that encompassed grunge and funk, he gravitated most toward the jazz and R&B currents native to his environment. After completing high school, he advanced his training with a Bachelor of Music in jazz studies from Loyola University of New Orleans and a Doctor of Musical Arts in music composition from New England Conservatory. Additional coursework during those years took him to the Conservatory of Perugia for choral conducting and to the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, where he studied sacred music with Azio Corghi.
Once his schooling ended, Despommier entered the studio for the first time as co-leader with keyboardist James Yeager on the 2018 album All at Onceness. Teaching has formed another part of his work, encompassing appointments at Bard High School Early College in Manhattan and through the Bard Prison Initiative at the Woodbourne Correctional Facility for men. Dio C'è, his solo debut, appeared in 2021 with co-production by Yellowjackets bassist Jimmy Haslip and contributions from guitarist Ben Monder and vocalist Aubrey Johnson.
Metairie, the New Orleans suburb where Despommier grew up, provided his earliest setting for saxophone study, prompted by his father, a traditional jazz drummer. While absorbing an array of styles that encompassed grunge and funk, he gravitated most toward the jazz and R&B currents native to his environment. After completing high school, he advanced his training with a Bachelor of Music in jazz studies from Loyola University of New Orleans and a Doctor of Musical Arts in music composition from New England Conservatory. Additional coursework during those years took him to the Conservatory of Perugia for choral conducting and to the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, where he studied sacred music with Azio Corghi.
Once his schooling ended, Despommier entered the studio for the first time as co-leader with keyboardist James Yeager on the 2018 album All at Onceness. Teaching has formed another part of his work, encompassing appointments at Bard High School Early College in Manhattan and through the Bard Prison Initiative at the Woodbourne Correctional Facility for men. Dio C'è, his solo debut, appeared in 2021 with co-production by Yellowjackets bassist Jimmy Haslip and contributions from guitarist Ben Monder and vocalist Aubrey Johnson.
Albums
Singles
